Folding car step



May 13 1924. 1,494.295

G. E. SMITH FOLDING GAR STEP Filed Jan. 19 1 924 2 Sheets-$heet 1Patented May 13, 122

NITE STATES GEORGE E. SMITH, OF OIL CITY, LOUISIANA.

l l FOLDING CAR s'rnr;

Application filed January 19, 1924.

Y '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oil City, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana,have invented a new and useful Folding Car Step, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to folding car steps and the object thereof is toprovide novel means for raising and lowering the step attached to thestationary steps of the car and so constructed that it may be readilyfolded to lie under the lowermost stationary step and present noobstruction when not in .use and which may be quickly and easilyprojected for use when desired.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within. thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a flight of car steps with thisimproved extension step shown applied and in extended operative positionin full lines, it being shown folded in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the extension step and itsconnecting parts.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment illustrated a flight of stationary steps 1 are showndepending from and supported by the usual car platform 2. The extensionstep which is supported by the lowermost step or tread of the flight 1comprises a riser 10 here shown formed of metal with side flanges 11 and12 between which is located the tread member 20 of the extension stepcomposed of wood or other suitable material mounted on a base plate 21having upstanding side flanges 22 which fit within the flanges 11 and 12of the riser and are pivotally connected to the lower ends thereof asshown at 23. The riser is pivotally mounted at its upper end beneath thestationary steps a pintle 13 being here shown Serial No. 687,260.

for connecting this extension step with the stationary step. Foldablyconnected links 14 and 15 connect the front portion of tread 20 with theupper portion of riser 10 and similar links 14 and 15 connect the otherside of these members so that the tread 20 may fold against the outerface of riser 10 and these parts when so folded may be folded back underthe lowermost tread of the stationary steps as shown in dotted lines inFig. 1.

A bar 16 is pivotally connected with the front end of tread 20 at oneside thereof and is mounted to slide in a track 19 carried by the outerface of a plate or bar 17 supported by the stationary steps at one sidethereof. This track or guide 19 is shownwith in turned flanges 19 on itsouter face between which the slide 16 is designed to reciprocate forretracting and extending the folding step.

The plate 17 has a bead 17 along its upper edge which is notched asshown at 18 for adjustable engagement by a spring pressed pawl 24carried by a bell crank lever 25 which is fulcrumed 011 anarm 26projecting upwardly from a head 27 fixedly secured to the outer face ofthe slide 16. The arm, 26 is equipped with a hand grip 28 for moving thehead 27 and the slide fixed thereto longitudinally along the track 19for projecting and retracting the folding step, it being of courseunderstood that the lever 25 is depressed to release the pawl 24 fromthe rack formed by the notches 18.

In the use of this extension step when the parts are in the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 1 and it is desired to fold up the extensionstep the hand grip 28 is grasped and an upward pull exerted thereonwhich causes the slide 16 to move upwardly in the track 19 carrying withit the tread 20 which folds up against the riser 10 the links 14 and 15and 14 and 15 breaking joint when such pull is exerted to permit thestep to fold into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. During thisupward movement of the slide 16 the dog or pawl 24 rides up on the bead17 over the notches 18 until the extension step has been completelyhoused under the stationary steps when the lever 25 under the action ofits spring 30 will force the pawl into locking engagement with one ofthe notches 18 and thus securely hold the extension step in foldedinoperative position.

When it is desired to project the extension step into the full lineposition shown in Fig. 1 the operation above described is reversed, thepawl 24 being, released, "from its notch 18 by grasping lever 25 andmoving it toward the hand grip 28. Thehand grip with the head 27 carriedthereby is then moved downwardly carrying with it the slide 16 whichoperates to move downwardy and outwardly the tread 20 Off the extensionstep opening' up the links which connect it with riser 10 until itassumes the position shown in Figs. 1i and2. The links 1: and 15 and 1-4and 15 are constructed at: their joints asshownrin 3 one having atongue. 31' on its lower inner. edge which engages a shoulder 32 0f theother link and thus formsa stop for limiting the opening movement of thelinks.

From the above description it will be seen that this extension step maybe very quickly operated-to either. retract or project it and avoids thenecessity of; the porter carrying the USllH'lllJ-OX toassist passengersiii-alight.- lI1 ,f1D1I1'Et train.

I claim 1. The combination with a flight of stationary: steps, of ariser pivotedat its upper enditothe lowermost step at the front edgethereof, a tread pivoted to the lower end oxtvthc riser, a barpivotedrto the front end of said trend and mounted to slidelongitudinally at'the side ofzthestationary steps,

pivoted;folded1lin;l-: s connecting the front;

end ofEsaiditreadwith saidlstationary steps,

carried. by saidbar toengage said rack and locl: said bar in adjustedposition.

2. In an extension car step the combinationvwiththe platform steps; of apivotally connected tread and riser, said riser being pivoted at itsupper end to the front portion of the lowermost platform step, breakjoint links connecting the front portion of said tread with said steps,a bar pivoted to the front end of said'tread, a guide on the side of thesteps in which said bar is mounted to slide, an upwardly extendinghandle fixed to said bar, and cooperating meanson said handle andsteps-to loclt the bar in ad j listed: position.

3. In a device of the class described, a fixed stairway, a rack on thestairway, a guide on the stairway, a bar mounted 'to slide in saidguide, a headcarried by said'bar and having a handle risingtherefronrand provided with a spring pressed pawl to engage said rackand hold the bar in adjusted position, a. foldable riser pivoted to thestairway and-a foldable tread pivoted to the riser, the tread beingconnectedto the bar and adapted toinove into retracted and extendedpositions onthe operation otthle bar.

In testii'nony that I claim the fore 'oing as myown, ,T have heretoatlixed'iny sifrnm turc inthe presence of twowitnessesi GEORGE E; SMITH.

Witnesses R. VVi SLANE, I. L. ANDERSON.

